Malawi reforms impress CCAP Nkhoma synod

Exactly six months after publishing a pastoral letter condemning the tyrannical leadership of late president Bingu wa Mutharika, the CCAP Nkhoma synod has said it is impressed with Malawi’s recent economic reforms which has helped government re-engage donors to support its macro-economic and structural reform programmes.

Nkhoma synod general secretary Rev. Davidson Chifungo told Nyasa Times that the church is impressed with the reforms President Joyce Banda has made in addressing key issues the church raised.

The synod on April 2, 2012 wrote a strong worded letter to its laity where it highlighted emotive issues that riddled the country pertaining to governance, corruption, fuel and forex shortages which triggered economic hardships, monopoly of trade and removal of Chinese funded Olympic stadium project from Lilongwe to Blantyre among several other issues.

The letter titled “Exercising our faith through prayer, in our time in our nation” is regarded by many as the final nail to Mutharika’s coffin following similar protestations from other powerful religious groups like the Catholic Church and Public Affairs Committee (PAC).

But Reverend Chifungo said since assuming office, President Banda has answered most of the critical issues the church raised to her predecessor through the letter.

“In the letter the Nkhoma synod wrote in April, we highlighted very key issues like shortages of fuel and forex, worsening economic situation, sour diplomatic relations with key donor countries as well as our neighbors, nepotism etc, but today under the leadership of president Banda most of those issues have been addressed, to us she is a listening president,” synod’s top cleric told Nyasa Times

“Not only that but also as you are aware central region lost two prominent projects namely, the Lilongwe University of Science and Technology as well as the Stadium project. But we have seen that the new administration has reversed the decision and as I’m speaking the Olympic stadium is now back to Lilongwe. As a church, we are very much happy with such a good development and without mincing words I would say we are satisfied with the current leadership,” explained Rev. Chifungo.

Rev Chifungo

Asked on whether the church has immediate plans to come up with another pastoral letter, the youthful head of the conservative synod, said it is the duty of the church to ask its members to pray for the country on pertinent issues.

Meanwhile, the general secretary has disclosed that the church is currently praying for the Malawi leader, so that she continues to govern the country with diligence and wisdom.

“If you look at the letter all we did was to ask for God’s guidance and looking at the way the events have unfolded since publishing it, I have all the reasons to believe that God answered our prayers, right now its suffice to say that we are also praying for good leadership under Joyce Banda,” added Chifungo.

Despite Malawi facing a worsening wave of high cost of living encapsulated by devaluation of the kwacha by close to a 50 percent margin, president Banda has scored highly on repairing relations with local opposition politicians, international community, civil society groups and she is also enjoying considerable support form the religious community.